Featured Articles

Truth, Justice and the American Way

by Skye Moody

Liv Fun: Vol 8 – Issue 2

Ever been to prison? I have, many times, seated among a group of male lifers, murderers mostly, in a maximum-security room at Leavenworth Penitentiary in Washington State. All male except me, the only female in the room. The lifers were unshackled, free of handcuffs, and each held a powerful weapon in their hands. That weapon was a pencil.

For several weeks, I visited Leavenworth’s lifers as part of a project started by a group of writers aiming to humanize the prison experience just a little. Convincing state prison authorities to permit the trial project took time and lots of documentation of similar projects carried out in prisons in Norway and other countries with advanced criminal justice systems. Finally, we got the green light.

Escalating Violence in the Prison System

Despite the United States being the world’s most democratic society, with a free press and high scores for a corruption-free judicial system, U.S. correctional facilities rank far behind many countries in prison reform. Today, the U.S. prison system ranks among the world’s harshest, most violent, and least successful in rehabilitating its populations. Recidivism in the U.S. prison system is among the highest in the world.

Since violence breeds more violence, our prisons create a life-threatening environment every single day of every convict’s life, whether or not they are model prisoners or innocent of the crimes a judge or jury ruled they’d committed. Inmate fights, drug smuggling, inmates killing other inmates, gang violence, rape, a guard’s sadism are just some examples of what prisoners endure in U.S. correctional facilities. Survival becomes the number-one objective for inmates locked up behind bars in crowded cells or solitary confinement, lacking sufficient fresh air and sunshine and enduring degrading living conditions. These conditions fuel the frequent violence among inmates.

Liv Fun

The Real Cost of All That Free Time
by Dave Cuzzolina

When planning for retirement, how many people spend as much time on emotional health as they do financial health? Money issues surrounding retirement deserve all the attention they get. No argument here. But life issues, caused by radical lifestyle changes, can also jeopardize retirement happiness and deserve a level of scrutiny many fail to apply.

Truth, Justice and the American Way
by Skye Moody

Ever been to prison? I have, many times, seated among a group of male lifers, murderers mostly, in a maximum-security room at Leavenworth Penitentiary in Washington State. All male except me, the only female in the room. The lifers were unshackled, free of handcuffs, and each held a powerful weapon in their hands. That weapon was a pencil.

And Fashion for All
by Carol Pearson

Her steely eyes seemed to dare the cameras to look away as Jan de Villeneuve strode down the runway during London’s 2017 Fashion Week. The 72-year-old model’s chic silver bob set off the dark, rich look of the faux fur she wore to beautiful effect, as she modeled the latest creations of fashion designer Simone Rocha.